First Presbyterian Church of Villa Rica

Order for the Worship of God
SUNDAY, January 23rd, 2022, 11 AM

At Church and Online
(Live Stream and Online Bulletin)

Nursery 10 AM to 12 PM
10 AM Bible Study for all ages
11 AM Worship Services

 GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
“Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.” – Deuteronomy 4:10

PRELUDE WORSHIP
(As we prepare our hearts for worship let us quiet our hearts and our cell phones.)

Prelude Worship Song

Worship Live Stream

Sermon:  by Reverend Thomas Myers

God is Pro-Life!

2 Cor. 10:3-5; Gen. 9:1-6; Exodus 20:1-17

View Live Service:  Bulletin/Order of Worship

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
INVOCATION

(All Scripture references are from the English Standard Version, ESV, unless otherwise noted.)

 

Worship through Hymn of Thanksgiving

“All Creatures of Our God and King”

 Verse 1

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing

Alleluia alleluia

Thou burning sun with golden beam

Thou silver moon with softer gleam

O praise Him O praise Him

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 2

Thou rushing wind that art so strong

Ye clouds that sail in heav’n along

O praise him alleluia

Thou rising morn in praise rejoice

Ye lights of evening find a voice

O praise him O praise him

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 3

Thou flowing water pure and clear

Make music for thy Lord to hear

Alleluia alleluia

Thou fire so masterful and bright

That givest man both warmth and light

O praise him O praise him

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 4

And all ye men of tender heart

Forgiving others take your part

O sing ye alleluia

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear

Praise God and on him cast your care

O praise him O praise him

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Verse 5

Let all things their Creator bless

And worship Him in humbleness

O praise Him alleluia

Praise praise the Father praise the Son

And praise the Spirit three in One

O praise Him O praise Him

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

 

Worship through Responsive Psalter Reading: Psalms 139 (NIV)

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand —
when I awake, I am still with you.
¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

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Worship Through Songs of Praise:

“Days Of Elijah“

Verse 1

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days
Of Your servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days
Of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice
In the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord

Chorus

Behold He comes
Riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun
At the trumpet call
Lift your voice
It’s the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion’s hill
Salvation comes

Verse 2

These are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days
Of Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are as white in the world
And we are the laborers
In Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the Lord

(Chorus)

Bridge

There is no god like Jehovah
There is no god like Jehovah
There is no god like Jehovah
There is no god like Jehovah

(Chorus 2x)

 

“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)“

Verse 1

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see

Verse 2

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Chorus

My chains are gone I’ve been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love amazing grace

Verse 3

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

(Chorus – 2x)

Verse 4

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

 

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PASTORAL PRAYER

….Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

WORSHIP THROUGH TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Offertory Worship Music:

“Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee”

 Verse 1

Jesus, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far thy face to see,
And in thy presence rest.

Verse 4

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show:
The love of Jesus, what it is
None but his loved ones know.

 

 

Children Released to Children’s Church

Exposition of God’s Word

Sermon:  by Reverend Thomas Myers

God is Pro-Life!

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2 Corinthians 10:3-5                                                                                                                                            

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,           

 Genesis 9:1-6                                                                                                                                           

 1  And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. ² The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. ³ Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. ⁴ But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. ⁵ And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.⁶ “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

 Exodus 20:1-17

1And God spoke all these words, saying,² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ³ “You shall have no other gods before me.⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. ⁷ “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.¹³ “You shall not murder. ¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.¹⁵ “You shall not steal.¹⁶ “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

WCF:

Q 134. What is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, “You shall not murder.”

135. What are the duties required in the sixth commandment?

A. The duties required in the sixth commandment are all manner of careful efforts and lawful endeavors to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices which tend to the unjust taking away the anyone’s life. This includes the following:

• the just defense of lives against violence;
• patiently bearing the hand of God, with quietness of mind and cheerfulness of spirit;
• sober use of food, drink, medicine, sleep, labor, and recreations;
• charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, and kindness;
• peaceable, mild and courteous speeches and behavior;
• forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and returning good for evil;
• and comforting and supporting the distressed and protecting and defending the innocent.

Q. 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are the following:

• all taking away of the life of ourselves or of others except in cases of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense;
• neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of the preservation of life;
• sinful anger, hatred, envy, and desire for revenge;
• all excessive passions and distracting cares;
• immoderate use of food, drink, labor, and recreations;
• provoking words, oppression, quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatever else tends to the destruction of the life of anyone.

“Moment by Moment“

Verse 1

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

Chorus

Moment by moment I’m kept in his love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.

Verse 2

Never a trial that he is not there,
never a burden that he doth not bear,
never a sorrow that he doth not share,
moment by moment, I’m under his care;

(Chorus)

 Verse 3

Never a weakness that he doth not feel,
never a sickness that he cannot heal;
moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still

 

Benediction

Doxology: Hymn #731

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’ly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Worship Through Tithes and Offerings

THIS WEEK AND UPCOMING EVENTS

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SMALL GROUPS TODAY:

Whittle/Dickinson Group: Meeting Today at the Dickinson’s home. Y’all come and we will continue praying for our Top 10.

Mitchell/Forlaw Group: Meeting today.

 

 

CHURCH LUNCH

We will have our Church lunch in the fellowship hall after the worship service and will honor John and Marva Grant for 20+ years of service in our church.

 

 

 

 

PRAYER CARDS
Please complete the prayer request form in the right margin of this page (bottom of page on your phone or tablet).  There are also index cards next to the bulletins on the tables in the back. Pastor Tom would like to know how he can pray for you. You may enter your request in the form on this page, put them in the offering box, or hand them to Pastor Tom.

MISSIONARY OF THE MONTH
Please be in prayer for our missionary of the month.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

SUNDAY SCHOOL: No Sunday school today, Jan. 2^nd.  We resume next Sunday, January 9th.

SINGING TO OUR AT HOME MEMBERS : We will not be singing today.

SERVING SCHEDULE

Children’s Church

January- Cliff and Debbie Dickinson

February- Beth Myers

Nursery Helpers

January 23^rd – Holly Eckstein

February 13^th – Ariel Whittle

February 27^th – Kayla Forlaw

March 13^th – Jeannie Forlaw

March 27^th – Beth Myers

 

This Week in Our Church Life

HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS
Prayer Group now meets Wednesdays via Zoom at 7 PM.
We are paused until the first Wednesday in January, the 5th.
Call the church office for info.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
Wednesdays at 10am, PRECEPT BIBLE STUDY

Starting in January a study on the gospel of John will begin. Please contact Debby for more info. If childcare is needed contact Jeannie.

Other Resources

Kingdom Outreach:  See our Missions and Outreach Page

 What is Happening this Week, this Month?  Visit our This Week page.

A YEAR IN TABLETALK
You are invited to join us in reading through Tabletalk devotions for the year of 2021. January’s edition will be available by the offering box in the Sanctuary. You can purchase a subscription by calling 1-800-435-4343 or by visiting the Table Talk website. You can also begin a free subscription through the website.

Continue to pray and encourage one another.1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

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COVID protocols: The leadership recommends that everyone wear a mask in common areas when not seated for worship or Sunday school. We understand that many of us have been vaccinated, or have antibodies from getting the virus, and may not want to wear masks anymore. We would urge you to do so for any among us that are in poor health and susceptible to a severe reaction, or have a condition that does not allow them to be vaccinated. Currently the hospitals in Georgia are at capacity and we don’t want to add to the strain on their resources. Current reports are that this strain of the virus may start declining soon so we are hopeful that this strong recommendation will only be in effect until the end of September.  

Philippians 2:3-4
(ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

The Elders and Deacons of First Presbyterian Church of Villa Rica.

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Secondary Resources for Further Study
(The Bible itself being the only Living, Infallible, Sufficient, and Authoritative rule of faith and practice.)

W.C.F Chapter 1, Of the Holy Scripture, Paragraph 1, 4 -7, 9-10

1.Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God. 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work. of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts 6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them. 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly. 10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.

Canons Of Dort

The first main point of doctrine, divine election and reprobation

Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People

Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire ­human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: “The whole world is liable to the condemnation of God” (Rom. 3:19), “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love

But this is how God showed his love: he sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (1 John 4:9; John 3:16).

Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel

In order that people may be brought to faith, God mercifully sends messengers of this very joyful message to the people and at the time he wills. By this ministry people are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified. For “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without someone preaching? And how shall they preach unless they have been sent?” (Rom. 10:14-15).

Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel

God’s wrath remains on those who do not believe this gospel. But those who do accept it and embrace Jesus the Savior with a true and living faith are delivered through him from God’s wrath and from destruction, and receive the gift of eternal life.

Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter 10  of Effectual calling

1.All those whom God has predestined to life, and only those, he is pleased to effectually call at his appointed and accepted time, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to come to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. In this call, he enlightens their minds spiritually, in a way effective to salvation, so that they understand the things of God. He takes away their heart of stone and gives to them a heart of flesh; he renews their wills; and by his almighty power he makes them determined to do what is good. This effectually draws them to Jesus Christ, yet in such a way that they come completely freely, being made willing by his grace.

2. This effectual call comes entirely from God’s free and special grace, not from anything at all foreseen in the person, who is completely passive in it until, being made alive and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is enabled by it to answer the call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.

Shorter Catechism Q&A 31

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

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Sunday Schedule:

Nursery Provided 1000-1200 AM
1000-1045 Bible Study for all Ages
1045-1100 Break
1100-1200 Worship (Sanctuary & Fellowship Hall), , plus online live-stream.

We thank the Lord for His faithfulness to us and for His hand of protection. Thank you for your support, encouragement and love for each other during these challenging times.

May we continue to labor together in love for the sake of the gospel and God’s kingdom,
The Session

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10:00-10:45       Adult Bible Study in the Fellowship Hall, other ages in various classrooms. (Nursery Provided)

10:45-11:00       Break

11:00-12:00       Worship (Sanctuary, plus live-stream).  Fellowship Hall live stream available for overflow and physical distancing.

Children’s Church (Large Classroom)

Nursery Provided 1000 to 1200 AM

If you or your child have flu-like symptoms or a fever, please stay home and enjoy the Online Bulletin and Live-Stream.

We thank you for your prayers, for the willingness you have shown to be diligent in worship, and for your support of FPCVR.

Prayerfully, The Session